Richard Dash and Jamie Carter enjoy a magnificent Sunday lunch at Pendergast's, in Warrington.
Pendergast's are on a mission to be named among the North-West’s best steak restaurants. (Spoiler: we can already see that for them.)
Pendergast's offer a premium, high-end service that promises not to break the bank. Manager, Stevie, who is also part of the development team, has a laser-sharp focus on quality: quality service, quality wines, quality food and a quality experience. They tell us they would rather have a table of diners who enjoy a full evening with them rather than quickly turn the tables to get more diners in. Leave your thoughts of cigar-stained leather and murals of meat cuts at the door as you step into the relaxed and luxurious restaurant on Cairo Street, in Warrington's Cultural Quarter.
So, why were we there? To sample the Sunday Roast of course. As a steakhouse that focuses on supreme quality from local suppliers, expectations were high, I won’t lie. Roast beef sirloin for Jamie and roast pork loin for me. All roasts are served with all the trimmings; beef dripping roast potatoes, maple roast parsnips, carrot and swede mash, buttered cabbage, Yorkshire pudding, and beef and red wine gravy.
Wayne, the sommelier, came tableside to talk us through some of his recommendations for the afternoon. Wayne tells us his thought process throughout his wine list development has been much like the rest of the Pendergast's offering; to offer a high-end, unique, experience that is accessible to everyone. Whether you’d like a glass of rosé for £4.40 or a bottle of Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon for £230, they have something for all palettes.
The beef sirloin was served perfectly pink (as requested. It can be served well done too). Beautiful thick slices that cut like butter. My pork loin was seasoned magnificently. Pork can sometimes be bland, but not here. Head chef Craig clearly knows what he’s doing. Again, the pork cut through beautifully and had been carved to perfection. Nothing worse than a limp piece of meat is there?
If you’ve read our roast reviews before, you’ll know I’m very much in the roast potato and gravy camp; but I’ll put it on record, the meats stole the show here. That’s not to say the trimmings were not good, because they were absolutely sensational. The beef dripping roasties were crisp and fluffy. The buttered cabbage is not something we’ve seen on a roast before, but why on earth not? It was fabulous. Comfort food at its best. I also appreciated that team pork get to enjoy both pork rind and pork scratchings. Thanks Craig!
It’s not often we say we’re defeated by a Sunday roast, but we actually were, to the point that we were just about to decline a dessert… until Wayne appeared tableside again to tell us Craig had just finished making a Cinder Toffee Crème Brulee… sigh. Thank you for twisting our arms, Wayne. It was worth every bite, especially the homemade cinder toffee slice.
We can hand-on-heart say this Sunday roast is a very welcome addition to an already competitive market. But we’ll also say this one is going right to the top of the list. We absolutely loved our visit and the Sunday roast was absolutely worth the drive to Warrington (from Wilmslow) for us. Destination dining at its best.
Pendergast's is an all-inclusive space. A place for everyone to feel welcome. Enjoy a relaxed Sunday roast like us, or book a private dining experience. For parties of six to eight, an exquisite private space lies just off the main restaurant area and comes with its own dedicated server. There’s actually no additional cost to use this space either, so we would absolutely recommend taking it if you’re out with friends or family.
Don’t fancy a roast? With the cost of winter living in mind, the team have carefully curated some menus that mean you’re not going to break the bank, such as the Lunchtime Offer of a starter and main and soft or house drink for £20, or the Dine for Two for £50, with two steak frites and a bottle of house wine.
Pendergast's only opened in October, but we can already see this being a very popular spot once word starts to travel. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for them. We'll certainly be heading back - you should see their evening menu. The Bottomless Brunch (we hear talks of live DJ’s) on the last Saturday of the month too is for £35
